NORTH WEST TORY MEP BANNED FROM SPEAKING

North West Tory MEP, the Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Atkins , was prevented from speaking or participating in the North West Regional Assembly last Friday (12.1.01) by the ruling Labour group. He then walked out.

"New Labour just hates criticism", declared Sir Robert "and they have never forgiven me for exposing the Government's duplicity and deceit over the high-tech Diamond Project at Daresbury. So, despite my having been a regular attender and participant in Assembly debates, Labour has now stopped me from being involved. This is just typical of New Labour's "control obsession" and indicates a disturbing anti-democratic attitude, more reminiscent of Mr. Mugabe's Zimbabwe than 21st Century Britain."

Sir Robert Atkins said that the Conservative Group Leaders wished - as usual - for him to sit with them, to advise on European issues, but that without discussion, consultation or a vote, the Labour leadership had arbitrarily changed his status from "participating observer" to merely "observer" and dismissed him to the back of the hall.

"When I tried to raise this unacceptable and unexpected change, I was told to "shut up", that I was no longer allowed to speak, and that I should sit, out of the way, at the back. Cries of "Throw him out" came from Labour Councillors, such is their congenital hatred of anyone who dares to challenge them. So much for freedom of speech under New Labour's local dictatorship!"

The North West Tory MEP, who is the only MEP who attends the Assembly, walked out of the meeting, declaring that there was no point in staying at an Assembly meeting gerrymandered by a Party that elects MEPs under a daft regional system and then prevents them from playing a critical and constructive part in the region's affairs.